EDITORS’ PICK
The Ultimate Freedom of Expression
OPEN CALL
OPEN CALL EDITORS’ PICK
Following Alison Morley’s selection of winning images for our recent Open Call competition, this compilation of 20 images represents some of the other talented photographers whose work struck us and left a mark. Each a stunning image worthy of exposure and attention…
When selecting for editor’s picks we’re always searching for those striking photographs that make for an unforgettable single image, whether from a broader series or not. We enjoy the accompanying text some photographers submit with their images, and while not always necessary it can be relevant when understanding the work in full context.
These are intended to be a conversation starter… so feel free to join the discussion on our social networks.
BANNER IMAGE: HENGKI LEE
A visual haiku that speaks about the passing of time, solitude, and our ephemeral existence within the universe, the black and white image is also a technical masterpiece. The space is exquisitely used to enhance the significance. Each element has the ideal size, visual weight, and position to create a well-balanced composition and a cohesive story. One can’t help but admire the fluidity of the sky and earth within which the leafless tree and the man in a hat seem to get lost. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – Somewhere In Time.
SOPHIE COOL
This conceptual photograph uses a minimalist, straightforward composition and lighting design to convey a very powerful message. Are we the clothes we wear, the personae we play, the roles we take on? Art has tried for many years and in many ways to help us answer the question of “Who am I?” This photograph proves that photography is as good a medium as any to pose it. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – Le Cintre (The Hanger)
CEDRIC RICHER
Much more than a portrait, this photograph is an artistic love story. The black and white aesthetic, along with the simplicity of the composition, emphasizes the bond between humans and water, transforming visual cues into a complete sensorial experience. The image manages to capture everything, from the state of mind to movement, and to convey it to the viewer, who is hooked and can’t look away. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – My love: I am just obsessed with the infinity of water. And also with the person in that photo. Martinique, 2024.
THOMAS MYHRE
A chiaroscuro portrait, beautifully lit, the image shows outstanding technical skills. However, the bold use of negative space, the intentional misbalance of visual elements, and the unusual camera angle transform a classic portrait into an intriguing story. The viewer feels the need to know more about this woman, her life, and the environment in which she lives. She seems to be going somewhere, and the viewer is curious to know where. It’s impressive how an almost completely black frame can encompass so much movement and raise so many questions. – LIFE FRAMER
GIL METTLER
There is so much for the viewer to figure out in this photograph, which is not an easy thing to do. Instead of conveying their thoughts and feelings, the photographer chose to let the viewer have their conversations. The visual elements are wisely spread around the frame and come together effortlessly. The image is food for imagination, an intriguing story that only the viewer can write. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – Untitled.
BASTIAN PETER
Conceptual photography is the ideal medium to express oneself, as this photographer well knows. All photographic genres are personal to the photographer, but this genre is specifically designed for self-expression. In this picture, everything matters. Colors, textures, transparencies, negative space, and buzzing visual cues are all part of the artistic expression and serve the same purpose: the search for identity, making sense of this fleeting life of ours. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – The Stillness Between explores the fleeting moments of human presence – those instances when identity dissolves and only a trace remains in space. Through intentional motion blur and expression, the images do not document but suggest. The series moves between intimacy and abstraction, questioning what remains of a identity when its contours begin to fade and change over time. It is a reflection on memory, perception, and the quiet tension between visibility and disappearance.
CARLOS LEAL
What a powerful image to raise awareness on the people we fail to notice – our blind spots as a society! The viewer can feel the photographer’s vibration and engagement with the subject, which makes the shot even more emotional. The lighting is spot on, the composition sustains the message, and harsh leading lines force the viewer to acknowledge the subject, shadowed and anonymous. Isn’t it time we truly saw the homeless as humans? – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – Heroes of another story
In the city of Angels, myths and fantasies create the American dream. Nourished by the Hollywood propaganda. But away from the spotlights another story takes place, that of social abandonment, of human annihilation and of unbelievable poverty. A story that won’t compete at the Oscars. Los Angeles has more than 50,000 people living in the streets. These citizens are losing their identity and the system of the ‘Greatest’ Nation in the world has given up on them. Away from the starry boulevards, they are the actors of a movie whose fight is constant. Actors who don’t show their faces but whose hearts filled with subtle poetry continue to beat behind the scenes. They are the Heroes of another story. I am an international actor working in Hollywood but a former rapper as well and I can’t ignore the huge contrast between the Fantasy and the reality in the streets of Los Angeles.
JAMES CONWAY
It’s hard to come up with fresh perspectives when photographing a popular subject matter, such as a sunset at the beach, but this photographer did it beautifully. Instead of featuring a strong visual element and building the story around it, the photograph features an impactful atmosphere that lets the viewer imagine the story on their own. Long exposure is key here; the photographer captures the movement of the silhouettes on the intensely colored background, thus transporting the viewer into a warm and inviting world. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – Late afternoon, summer, intense movement waiting for nightfall. A captivating scene.
MATILDE PIAZZI
The photographer found a creative way to document and raise awareness on a social issue. The shot is carefully curated, with each element having a clear purpose in the overall story, but it still leaves enough room for imagination and empathy. The color palette takes us back to the beginnings of the story, while the layers of fabric and the model’s pose speak about femininity, resilience, pride, and more ideas that are for the viewer to discover. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – Portrait of Pierangela Cernera, known as Piera from the series “Sorelle d’Italia. The luxury of resistance”
“Sorelle d’Italia” tells the story of the female workers at La Perla, a luxury lingerie brand founded in Bologna, Italy, in 1954 by a pioneer of female entrepreneurship. In 2023, after several acquisitions, the last of which was fraudulent, the company was declared insolvent, leaving 218 employees on furlough. As early as March 2023, a group of workers, together with labor unions, began protesting for their right to work and against financial speculation. From the outset, the movement took on feminist and creative forms, with twenty-four women leading the charge and founding the association Unicheunite. Matilde Piazzi and Nadia Del Frate have brought Sorelle d’Italia to life alongside them.
The aesthetic chosen for this work aims to elevate their struggle into a manifesto of contemporary heroic resistance. The project includes a photo series inspired by Guido Reni’s Aurora, a portrait series reinterpreting archetypes such as venus, martyrs and madonnas, and a video portrait.
Pierangela Cernera is one of the workers leading the fight. She has been working at La Perla for 24 years in the cutting department.
STEFAN GRÖPPER
Expressing abstract concepts through photography is a challenging but rewarding endeavor. The frame becomes a stage on which a play is performed. Visual elements become actors. Undeniably, the photographer possesses exquisite technical and storytelling skills, but also a powerful artistic voice and imagination. The ability to see what isn’t yet visible is what every photographer wishes to have. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – Ange ou Démon (Angel or Demon). A burning cry splits through the silence — not of pain, but of becoming. In the blur between light and shadow, a force breaks free: not quite angel, not fully devil. It is the echo of what we hide, the fire of what we fear, the beauty of what we are. A question without an answer, suspended in motion — fierce, divine, human.
LUCA MENOTTI
This is a very unusual composition that makes you look multiple times and search for clues everywhere, which is something every photographer wants to achieve. It is simple, yet artful, geometric, yet familiar, colorful, yet subtle, a magical overlay of layers and visual elements. The surprising black hand, although small, is a powerful focal point. This is an image that’s impossible not to think of long after your eyes have moved on. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – Museum.
EDUARDO SAPERAS
The surreal gray background and the slightly tilted horizon transform this image into a work of art. This unusual aesthetic is closer to art than photography, but it is nonetheless fascinating to watch. Regardless of the abstractness behind it, the tree is the ultimate symbol of stability and trustworthiness. People come and go, the background may or may not be there, the universe itself may tilt, but the tree stands firmly on its roots. Amazing shot! – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – A day in Lisbon, Portugal.
AURELIEN FRANCK
This cinematic shot shows yet another face of photography, proving that inspiration has no limits. The background is natural, the foreground is theatrical, the tones are earthy, contrasts are high. There is an eclectic mix of elements that fascinates the viewer, like a movie poster that convinces you to go see the movie. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – Aurélien Franck is a multifaceted artistic duo comprised of Aurélien Lefèvre and Franck Jacquard. Since their meeting, they have created a multitude of projects expressed through photography, graphic design, scenography, events, fashion, and costume. They possess a dreamlike and visually spectacular universe, both emotional and spiritual, blending their diverse influences: medieval and gothic aesthetics, graphic imagery from fashion, the mystery of esoteric realms, and the recurring practice of portraiture.
Their work explores themes of time, deep personality, and the connection between visible and invisible worlds, with a strong sensitivity and a certain melancholy, yet without pessimism or oppressive darkness. It often expresses a certain youthful lightness, a curious and optimistic relationship to the present moment and the messages of the senses. It also reflects a shared life journey, merging creative energy and vanity.
MARIO WONG
Only a confident and imaginative photographer would dare to try to capture the passing of time! This beautiful conceptual photograph seems to be in motion, like a slow waltz, luring the viewer into a universe where time moves at a different pace. The technical approach, symmetrical, with tonal colors and low contrast, suits the metaphor on which the image is based, exhibiting the photographer’s strong technical and storytelling skills. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – From the series “ETA2824-2”. It reflects on the rhythm of life and questions whether we should keep chasing others’ pace or slow down and seek a rhythm of our own.
Living in a foreign land, the differences in language, culture, and daily life have heightened my sensitivity to the passing of time and the relentless pace of the world. I often feel like I’m slower than everyone else. Among this uncertainty, I find moments of solace in observing leaves swaying, and birds gliding or perching in harmony with the air, seemingly untouched by the burden of time. Are they chasing the wind, or simply dancing with it? This series draws from my walks through urban parks. As leaves drift past and shadows ripple across my face, everything feels ephemeral and dreamlike. Even as I walk slowly, am I a part of this dance?
Through capturing the choreography of the natural world, I hope to translate this feeling that evoke the viewer to pause, feel, and reflect on time and rhythm. I also try to reclaim a tranquility and belonging in the ever-shifting flow of life.
VADIM MARMER
A shot that tricks the eye and the mind, this image proves the photographer’s inclination for going with the flow and seeing good shots at any time and in any place. The overlaying of layers is almost overwhelming, making you look again and again, until you think you’ve figured everything out, just to notice another detail you haven’t seen before. The truth is the world provides us with endless good subjects and moments for photography. We only have to be able to see them and photograph them. That’s the job of a good photographer. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – W4th, Vancouver, 2011.
VENGADASALAM MURUGAM
Bold contrast, good use of lighting, and an interesting composition are just a few of the attributes that make this image sing. The black and white aesthetic is both a compositional strength and a statement. Lines clash; character and shadow grow apart; symmetry is slightly asymmetrical. This controlled chaos is fascinating and makes you want to know more about the main character. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – Characters in Light. A candid street portrait in Japan.
OLENA HASTILOW
A mesmerizing double portrait, so simple and well put together! The tones blend in smoothly and make the two faces stand out. It’s impossible not to look the characters in the eyes and wonder what their story is, what happens in their lives. The wrapping paper is an inventive way to convey warmth, care, and love. – LIFE FRAMER
LAUREN HEATON
A touching portrait of three generations of women, this photograph is the ultimate representation of motherhood. The photographer chose to be a discreet presence, an observer of love and tenderness. Warm colors accentuate the body language, and the crowded composition emphasizes the closeness, the nurturing feelings that pass the test of time. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – Born of. There’s something incredibly profound about the generations of women from the same family, loving, nurturing and supporting each other through navigating life.
MAX STURGEON
Using just light and darkness, the photographer has created a minimalist composition with a powerful meaning. The warm colors of the light bring a bit of hope, but the overwhelming darkness takes the stage. The salvation seems close, but it is actually far and difficult to achieve, the silver lining we all yearn for. A lyrical take on loneliness, isolation, and the need to escape and heal. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – From the series “All The Things That Could Happen Next”, capturing my personal experiences during the Covid pandemic. Each chapter reflects a distinct phase of coping, resilience, and adaptation to unprecedented circumstances. The resulting images offer a visual diary of emotions and challenges, using creative techniques to evoke the atmosphere of each season. The chapter “Summer” from which this image is taken is a testament to the need for escape and healing during one of the author’s darkest times.
PATRICK ZÉLIS
This is the reality we see every day and forget to appreciate, and it’s the role of photography to bring it back to our attention. Taking details of mundane items and transforming them into a work of art is one of the best applications of photography. The photographer doesn’t always need a rare or impressive subject matter to catch the viewer’s attention. Instead of speaking to our thinking mind, this picture encompasses colors, lines, and contrasts that speak to our aesthetic soul. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – My photographic work is part of a continuous and unprecedented exploration of urban spaces. I am interested in shapes, textures and colors that combine to create my subject. I look for the games created by light and shadows. In my work, my main goal is to offer a fresh look at ordinary things by creating refined and graphic images. I seek the particular point of view, attempting to eliminate the chaos of our urban environment. I like to focus on details and I therefore compose minimalist images bordering on painting. By transforming reality into shapes, I create abstract images, to offer the public an optical illusion experience. This work explores the limits of the photographic process and offers a reflection on the notion of reality.
